Arsenal have enjoyed a bright start to the season and optimism is high with regards to their goals for the campaign.
The Gunners sit in the upper levels of the Premier League table and have also done well in the Champions League and Carabao Cup.
Arsenal boast one of the strongest and most united squads in the league, with every player having the right talent and attitude.
One of the most exciting players in the squad is Bukayo Saka, who has been a revelation since coming through the ranks at Hale End.
At just 23 years of age, Saka has already clocked up 236 appearances for the Gunners, also registering 61 goals and 60 assists.
He also has 43 caps for England, along with 12 goals and seven assists, and has appeared in two major tournament finals (Euro 2020 and Euro 2024).
Darren Bent has now been asked whether Saka has stepped up this season, and he said he was annoyed by something people mention “every single time” about the player.
Bent, speaking on talkSPORT, believes it’s not a case of Saka stepping up, because he’s been delivering for years now.
“No, we have been seeing it for season upon season,” said Bent. “It annoys me because every single time people talk about Saka, whether it be with Arsenal or England…
“When it’s Arsenal, yeah there are other players that are better than him, and when he plays for England, what can we change in the England team, Palmer should play on the right, and you are like, have you looked at his numbers over the last few years, they are better than anybody’s.
“I mean, he’s so important. And that tells you a lot because England managers will pick him up for every single game and, of course, Arteta knows how important he’s, we will play him in every single game.
“So, no. I think he has been playing at such a high level for so long, we are so used to seeing him play at these levels that people are looking, not Arsenal fans, other fans are looking for reasons to, okay, why, how can we take him out, how can we discredit him a little bit.
“Like, even though his numbers in terms of goal, assist this season are incredible, well, he has only scord one goal. It’s like they will find something to say about him.
“And finally, as you said, this week you are reading some of the reports, he’s finally getting the respect that he deserves, but Arsenal fans will know he has been doing it for season upon season for a while now.
The best players always come under the sternest criticism
Bent is spot on. Saka has been delivering for several years now, but being in the spotlight always comes with the occupational hazard of having people criticising every little thing.
This is nothing new. For as long as professional football has existed, there have been amazing players who mostly earn praise but also get criticism, seemingly just for the sake of it.
Saka is a world-class player who, at just 23 years of age, isn’t even in his prime yet, and it’ll be exciting to see what he can do over the coming years.
